Socializing is not my strong point
by Dubbers
Summary: Jack and Sam at a formal party. Contains dancing...kinda. Rated T for some swearing. Nothing too bad though. Next part 'Said it was Important' up now. Set one week later.
1. Jack's POV

**AN:This takes place any time after Sam's been put in charge of The Hammond. It's in two parts, Jack's POV and Sam's POV, you need to read both to get the whole story. The two POVs can be read in either order though. Sam's POV is in chapter two. I hope you enjoy.  
**

**Discalimer: I don't own Stargate or any of it's characters much to my annoyance.**

**Warnings: Contains some swearing.  
**

Socializing isn't my strong point – Jack's POV

The sudden desire to talk to her overwhelmed him as soon as he saw her. He slowly made his way over: pausing to chat to friends and colleagues along the way. There were many brief conversations, but none of them could take his mind off his-once second.

Coming up behind her, he quickly interrupted. "Colonel?" he questioned. _Damn, what are you doing you idiot!?! You just called her Colonel! At a party!_

Hearing his voice, Samantha Carter turned around, face perfectly composed – hopefully like his own.

"General?" she countered.

Jack deliberated for a second, and then changed tact. "Sam." _Can I call you that tonight?_

She smiled slightly, and Jack felt his insides jump. He almost missed his name pronounced by her beautiful lips.

"Jack."

He breathed an internal sigh of relief.

Suddenly, unsure of exactly what took over him; he bowed briefly, and then straightened up, offering her his hand.

Sam did a Teal'c impersonation. Maybe he wasn't being clear enough.

"May I have this dance?" The first notes of a new song were just floating across the room.

Now both eyebrows were threatening her hairline.

"Ummm…" she seemed to dither for a moment. Then she nodded, beginning to blush a little. _Uh oh, you've made her uncomfortable. Well what did you expect? _He couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked though.

But it was too late to go back now, so he took hold of her outstretched arm.

He turned to lead her onto the dance floor, hearing her excuse herself behind him.

They soon joined the other couples already dancing, and Jack quickly pulled Sam closer to him, resting his free hand around her waist as she put hers on his shoulder.

He suddenly realised just how close they were. He wasn't the only one; Sam's heartbeat had gone up a notch.

It was a slow dance, and they began to sway lightly in time with the music, neither of them were the best dancers so they kept it simple.

"So…" He began. "How's being in command of a ship going for ya?"

He knew it wasn't exactly the best thing to start a conversation with, but he couldn't think of anything else and he'd be damned if he was going to let awkward silences win.

She replied after a moment. "It's..it's good."

Now it was Jack's turn to do a Teal'c impersonation.

She quickly amended herself. "Very good."

He chuckled, unable to help himself.

"Good? Very good. Honestly Carter. You and your big words and all you can say is 'good'!"

He realized his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth.

_Shit. You called her Carter!_ _What the hell were you thinking! _He wasn't the only one annoyed with him now.

But before he could redeem himself she was already speaking.

"Well sir," she began. He felt his heart sink a bit at her tone. "That's just what it is. Good."

He couldn't stop a small groan from escaping his mouth. He noticed Sam tense at that. _Oh for crying out loud! Now you've pissed her off!_

"I'm sorry sir," she began remorsefully, looking downwards. Jack was horrified. _She was upset!?! No no no no no! _"I shouldn't have…"

He cut her off before she could go any further.

"No Sam. Don't. It was my fault, my mistake, not yours." She was still avoiding his gaze. "_I'm_ sorry. Okay?"

Sam gave a small nod but didn't raise her head.

Jack sighed and slowly pulled their joined hand up to her face. "Sam?" _Please look at me, forgive me?_

She began to look up, and he opened himself up, trying to put across everything he felt with his eyes. As their gazes locked, he felt her almost start. And then she relaxed against him.

"You…I…" she seemed to struggle for a moment before plowing onwards. "It's okay…Jack."

She smiled at him, he smiled back.

Suddenly Jack knew that everything would be alright.

~Fin


	2. Sam's POV

**AN: And here's Sam's POV. I hope you enjoy. By the way both chapters are unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine.**

Socializing is not my strong point – Sam's POV

She was talking to some of her crew when he finally approached her. She'd spied him gradually making his way over, and had been forced to turn her back lest she be caught staring.

"Colonel?"

Same tried not to sigh at his continued use of her rank to address her, even here.

"General?" she replied in kind, turning to face the man now in front of her.

The man in question bit his lip for a second, and then backtracked. "Sam."

She smiled slightly, startled, but also relieved that, maybe, even just for tonight, they could put rankings aside.

"Jack." _It's alright. _She acknowledged his silent plea.

Before she could say anything else however, Jack bowed, and then extended a hand towards her, a questioning look on his face.

She cocked an eyebrow, surprised at his actions to say the least.

_Teal'c would be proud of her._

"May I have this dance?" he elaborated, just as a new song started up.

A second eyebrow joined the first. _Did he seriously just ask that?_

"Umm…" she hesitated for a moment, but then relented, rewarding him with a small smile. She nodded her head instead of replying, too afraid to trust her voice.

Sam was pretty sure she was blushing, a fear only intensified by the smile that lit up the General's face when he looked at her. She slowly raised her own arm, and placed her hand in his own.

Turning back to the three rather startled members of her crew; she said 'excuse me' and allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor.

They soon joined the other couples already there, and Sam allowed the General to pull her closer, putting the hand not holding his onto his shoulder, as he put his hand around her waist.

_This has got to be the closest we've been in a while. And with good reason too. _Sam could feel her heart rate accelerating, and hoped Jack hadn't noticed.

It was a slow dance, and they began to sway lightly in time with the music, neither of them were the best dancers so they kept it simple.

"So…" the man now holding her in his arms began. "How's being in command of a ship going for ya?"

Sam smiled at him and tried not to look incredulous. Here they were, at a social event, dancing together, and he was asking about work. Although she had to admit she didn't know what else they could talk about.

"It's..it's good." _Did I seriously just say that?_

Now Jack was doing a Teal'c impersonation.

_Dammit, quick say something else!_

"Very good." _Damn._

Jack let out a chuckle.

"Good? Very good? Honestly Carter. You and your big words and all you can say is 'good'!"

He'd gone back to calling her 'Carter' again. It may have just been habit, but she was not going to let him get away with it. After all, two could play at that game.

"Well sir," she began, slipping quickly back into military mode despite their proximity, "That's just what it is. Good."

She heard him groan quietly. _Great going Sam, now you've pissed him off!_

She quickly looked downwards. "I'm sorry sir, I shouldn't have…" Jack cut her off.

"No Sam. Don't. It was my fault, my mistake, not yours." She kept her head down. He continued. "_I'm_ sorry. Okay?"

She nodded slightly, not moving her head.

Suddenly she felt him sigh against her, and then he was pulling their joined hands up to her face.

"Sam?"

She slowly raised her head and then almost started back at how open his eyes were. He really was sorry, and not just for this.

"You…I…" she stumbled to a halt before plowing onwards. "It's okay…Jack." She smiled at him, letting him know it was.

He smiled back. And suddenly Sam knew that everything would be alright.

~Fin

**AN: So, what did you think? This is my fist SG-1 fanfic and I would love to hear your opinions. Reviews and con crit are much appreciated.**


	3. Said it was Important

**AN: So this is the next part/continuation. Jack's POV, I may or may not do Sam's. **

**I might continue this as a series of one-shots, but I'm currently working on a lot of other stuff so the next one could be a while away. Although I'm not even sure if I want to continue this, so it's currently marked as complete as I might just leave it here.  
**

**I own nothing but the mistakes, sadly. Reviews and concrit are loved.  
**

Said it was Important

General Jack O'Neill was sat at a desk in a non-descript government building trying to do paperwork. Jack had never been very good at paperwork, and today was certainly no exception.

In fact, today he was finding it even harder than usual to concentrate, and Jack was willing to admit that it might have had something to do with a certain blonde colonel.

His mind kept drifting back to the dance they'd shared last week; the way she fitted so nicely into his arms, the softness of her skin as he held her, the way her face lit up when he'd joked about something...

Jack slowly became aware of a hand waving in front of his face and a feminine voice calling him.

"General? General? Can you hear me? General?"

Jack looked, entertaining the notion for a moment that it was Sam prodding him when he'd drifted off during an important meeting at the SGC. That fantasy was soon shattered by the pile of folders his secretary plonked down in front of him.

"Those just came in. Need to be completed by noon."

Jack groaned. "For crying out loud!"

The poor woman gave him a startled look; he'd forgotten she was only temporary and wasn't used to his manner.

"Sorry." He apologised sheepishly. When she continued standing there he looked up again. "Was there anything else?"

"Yes actually sir, there's someone here to see you."

Jack mentally went through the list of people he'd been warned might be visiting, although none of them were due till next week. Then he remembered. Some guy from Area 51 was meant to have popped by yesterday but had been unable to make it. He'd said he would come by at some point another day.

"Oh god." Jack moaned. He was so not in the mood for pompous asses badgering him about things he didn't care about and they probably weren't meant to be bothering him about anyway. "Can you tell him I'm busy?" he appealed to the woman still hovering nearby.

"Well I could do, though I think she might be a bit put out about being called a 'he', she's wearing a skirt and all."

Jack's head snapped back up again from where it had placed itself between his hands: images of Sam Carter in a skirt immediately making their way through his brain. _Steady on Jack old boy, you don't even know who it is yet!_

"She?" he asked.

"Yes sir. Military woman I'd say." _Well that narrows it down a bit..._

"Did she give a name?"

"Uh, no sir. She just asked to see you. Said it was important."

Jack sighed. "Well if it's important..." he tried not to roll his eyes when the secretary didn't move. "Send her in then."

She left the room to do just that, and Jack was left alone with his thoughts once more. Make that 'thought' singular: _please be Sam, please be Sam, please be Sam, please be Sam..._

Someone must have been watching over him that day, because moments later the secretary came in, followed by none other than Colonel Sam Carter.

Jack rose to greet her as she snapped off a crisp salute. Sam was indeed wearing a skirt; she was in her Dress Blues, hair neatly tied back and all.

Jack quickly dismissed the secretary and turned to face Sam.

"So, is this an official visit?" Sam shook her head. "Are you here to lecture me on my appalling paperwork skills then? Or are we being invaded by three-headed-no-legged-aliens from someplace with an unpronounceable name?"

Jack cheered as she smiled at him. "None of the above, sir, though your paperwork is atrocious. I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I would see how you were."

"Ah, well then, have a seat." He pointed to the very uncomfortable looking chair facing his desk and sat back down himself as she wondered over.

Now that she was here and sat down just like he'd been wishing for the last while, he had no idea what to say.

"So, ah, what's with the uniform?"

"I had a meeting with the President."

"Oh, right. How is he?"

"Umm...he seems alright, but I wasn't there for a social visit."

"Ah, yes, of course." _You're making a fool of yourself here Jack!_ "What were you there for?" _Great, lets discuss business shall we?_

Sam smiled, as if sensing his awkwardness. "Nothing important."

Jack started. He'd expected a yearlong essay on something he really didn't care about; not her short statement. And he certainly hadn't expected her to tell him a meeting with the president wasn't important.

He blinked. "Really?"

"Yes sir." She gave a quick smile before looking down, as if almost embarrassed by what she'd said.

"Wow."

"Sir?" Sam had looked up at his last exclamation, her gaze questioning.

Jack met her look, his eyes laughing. "I never thought I'd see the day Sam Carter told me a meeting wasn't important, let alone one with the President."

She gave another grim smile and went to speak. "Sir, I..." she trailed off uncertainly, moving her gaze to her hands clenched on the desk.

When it didn't seem like she would continue Jack spoke up. "Carter? What is it?" He almost missed the way she flinched at his use of her surname, but not quite.

"Never mind sir, I should go. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

She got up to leave but Jack leant forwards and captured one of her hands in his. Gently tugging her back down to the seat he leant forward slightly, not letting go of her.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

He watched her gulp slightly and slump down onto his desk; but she didn't pull her hand away from his, even though he'd started absently tracing circles on it with his thumb.

Suddenly she looked up; Jack started to see the tears now crowding her lids. He reached up to brush away the ones that were already falling, glad that she didn't pull away from his touch.

"You know what's wrong, sir."

He did. Obviously he wasn't the only one having troubles with the regulations; then again, they'd come to that point quite a while ago.

Jack brought his hand down to rest on Sam's shoulder, careful to make sure she could remove it if she liked. "Sam-"

He was interrupted as his door suddenly opened. From the corner of his eye he could see a frowning man in a business suit: the guy positively exuded boringness. Jack sighed, correctly assuming this was Mr. Area 51. His secretary was nowhere in sight.

Sam had seen him too and made to pull away. Jack tightened his grip and pulled her into a brief hug.

"It'll work out; somehow. I promise."

He let her go and watched as she stood up. "Thanks you sir."

She looked back once as she left: Jack was happy to see the hint of a smile on her lips.

Boring guy – (who was carrying a briefcase, double trouble) – took the recently vacated seat without invite.

"What was all that about?"

There was no apology for the interruption, no remorse. In fact, his monotone voice sounded _disapproving_. Jack had to work to keep his anger from exploding. Instead, he stared at the man for a while, long past the point of awkwardness. Having finally watched him squirm enough, he answered the question.

"Something important."

**~Fin**


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